Menendez Announces $9.4 million to Expand Home Visitation Programs for At-Risk Families

New Jersey was the largest grant recipient of the ten states who received this round of funding.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that New Jersey has been awarded over $9.4 million to support the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. With this grant, New Jersey has received almost $15 million through the MIECHV Program, allowing the state to expand its Home Visitation Initiative to more at-risk families. These funds were awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Home visitations by nurses, social workers and other professionals are proven to improve the prenatal health, development, education and economic self-sufficiency of low-income children and families,” said Menendez, who was a key architect of the program. “This additional funding will help us build upon proven programs in New Jersey that are already helping children in at-risk households.”
During the health care reform debate, Senator Menendez worked to ensure that the MIECHV program was included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Through this program, nurses, social workers, or other professionals visit at-risk families in their homes to evaluate their living situations and provide information on resources available to improve the health, educational, and economic opportunities for at-risk children. Resources include health care, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, and nutrition education or assistance.
The grants announced today were awarded to states that have already demonstrated a commitment to home visiting programs as well as states that are developing new home visiting programs using proven strategies. These state programs are already operating successful early childhood programs for pregnant women, parents, caregivers and children from birth to age eight to improve their health and developmental outcomes. New Jersey was the largest grant recipient of the ten states who received this funding.
For more information on HRSA’s MIECHV program, please visit mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/homevisiting/.